Introduction

One of the biggest and prevalent of the several Eids is the Eid of Ghadeer. It is a very important day which is
unfortunately only celebrated as a Jashn (function). Imam Baqir (AS) is reported to have said,
Whenever the day of Eid arrives, our sorrow gets rejuvenated. The narrator having heard this asked the reason
for this grief. Imam (AS) replied, It is because Eid is a day for the Aimmah e Muslimeen (Leaders of the Muslim
Ummah) and we (Ahlulbait) are not sitting on the throne of Wilayat as the tyrants are unlawfully ruling over the
Muslims and have usurped our rights.
The Day of Eid should also bring sorrow alongside its apparent delight to us as we are the followers of the Imam
(AS). Living under the shade of tyranny should be sorrowful for us in the same manner as it was for our Holy Imams
(AS). It is a tragedy that the Islamic Ummah merely celebrates the day of Ghadeer and overlooks the sacredness
and actuality of the day. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) was commanded by Allah (S.W.T) in Ayah 67 of Surah Al
Maidah:

O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not
delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving
people.


Ghadeer: A Day to Ponder along with Celebrations
It is on the day of Ghadeer (18th of Zilhajjah, 10th AH) that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) gathered 1, 20,000 people
at the Miqaat of Johfa while returning home after the completion of Hajj. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) summarized
the complete religion in his farewell sermon. It is a sad fact that we simply occupy ourselves by celebrating the day
of Ghadeer, and have only walked away with just one statement ( ) from the entire sermon. Even to this
powerful statement, have we truly done justice? Surely, we have belittled this weighty historic event by taking
away just a single statement.

Wilayat - The Most Important Pillar of Islam
Wilayat is the axis of religion. The system of this universe is running around the boundaries of Wilayat. Allah (SWT)
being the greatest of Wali (guardians) has chosen the most purified ones to be His representatives on earth.
Wilayat is the foundation of religion. There are traditions which state that Islam is based on five pillars. There is a
hadith narrated by Imam Baqir (AS) in Al kafi, v2, p21, h8 in which he says:

:

The interpretation of this Hadith is such that the foundation of Islam is based on five pillars
1) Salah (Prayers)
2) Zakat (Islamic Tax)
3) Sawm (Fasting)
4) Hajj (Pilgrimage) and,
5) Wilayat (Guardianship)
And amongst the five pillars of Islam, the concept of Wilayat which was announced on the day of Ghadeer has
been regarded as the most significant pillar such that if it is taken out from the list, the remaining four end to be
purposeless.
Every single deed a person performs has to take place under the shadow of Wilayat. Unfortunately, it seems we
have only implemented the first four in our lives and have left Wilayat aside. After the sermon of the Prophet,
some individuals translated Wilayat as friendship. It is sad to confess that we still have not understood the real
meaning of Wilayat.

Misinterpretation of Wilayat
A question we must ask ourselves is, whether we have understood and taken Wilayat in the same light as the
Prophet intended it to be interpreted on the Day of Ghadeer? We should realize the fact that at the time of
declaring the constitution of Wilayat the heart of the Prophet (PBUH) trembled because of the condition of the
people around him.
Today, the Holy Quran is free from any sort of adulteration because the responsibility of preserving it is in the
hands of Allah (SWT). However, the translation and interpretation of this holy book is penned by us (individuals).
Many of the interpreters have incorrectly explained Wilayat, resulting in many of us perceiving Wilayat as Sufism.
We unfortunately do not have the Quranic concept of Wilayat in our minds.
Sufis take Wilayat as a spiritual concept in which a Wali practices extra ordinary and unforeseen things which
people in their common language regard as miracles (mojeza) For example: A wali in their belief is a person who
just by praying gives children to those who do not have and is also able to cure the sick. They consider their Walis
as individuals, who are isolated from the world and away from sins but do not have any responsibilities on their
shoulders.
But the Wilayat given by Allah is Guardianship (The Responsibility of Governing the Ummah). A Wali is a person
who leads the whole Ummah towards Allah.

The Message of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) at Ghadeer e Khumm
At Ghadeer e khumm, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) proclaimed: Whomsoevers Mola (Guardian) I am, Ali is his
Mola. In the Prophets regard and according to the Quran, a person who has all the rights over others is known to
be a Wali. Wilayat in the Quranic concept is also something political. It is not only limited to the spiritual aspect.
The announcement made by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) was at a time when he was about to leave the world, and
hence there was a requirement for a capable and qualified person to become his successor.
One must even ponder over the tone which Allah (SWT) has used while commanding the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).
O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not
delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving
people.

The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) was never intimidated by anything during his life. He had always been so brave that he
never feared even his rivals presence. So how is it possible for him to be afraid in the presence of his companions
and friends?

What lead to the fear of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) at Ghadeer e Khumm?
One should know that the Prophet could not have been afraid of being attacked after making the announcement
because all the audience present were companions who were ready to sacrifice themselves for the Messenger of
Allah (SWT) - the Battles of Badr, Khandaq, and Khaibar all testify to this. However, there are special kinds of fears
which Leaders have. When Allah (SWT) grants leadership to His chosen ones, He (SWT) eradicates all kinds of fear
that are a result of weaknesses and lack of forbearance and tolerance. On the other hand, He Himself instills
certain kinds of fear which are a result of understanding and cognizance.
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is reported to have said: I fear two things; one that my Ummah runs behind fulfilling
their desires and second that, they begin to instill long endless hopes.
Prophet Musa (AS) also had a fear when he was challenged by the magicians. He was worried that if people do not
understand the wisdom behind his miracle, they might go astray, resulting in ignorant and oblivious individuals
becoming their leaders. And that is what exactly happened. They took Musa (AS) as the greatest of magicians and
disregarded his Prophecy. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) similarly feared the same outcome. He was worried
about how people will comprehend the vital declaration he made on the day of Ghadeer. It is sad to admit that
undoubtedly his fear proved to be true. Even after celebrating Ghadeer for 1400 years, till today, people have
misconstrued what the Prophet (P.B.U.H) actually meant to say.

The True Essence of Wilayat
Imam Khomeini (RA) regarded Ghadeer as a completely political event in which the Prophet (P.B.U.H) chose his
successor who was responsible to guard and lead the Ummah after him.
In todays world we do not witness true politics; instead we have Satanism prevailing all over the world. When
Imam Jafar Al Sadiq (AS) was asked, What is Aql (intellect)? The Imam (AS) replied, It is the capability through
which one attains the Marifat (recognition) of Allah (SWT) i.e. recognizes his Creator and thus offers himself in
servitude to Him. Having heard this, an individual stood up and took a name in front of the Imam (AS) asking him
if he was amongst the intellectuals. In response, the Imam replied No! The reason he gave for this was that an
individual having satanic cleverness and cunningness cannot be regarded as an intellectual. Hence, all the systems
of Governship prevailing today, be it democracy or dictatorship, all are different faces of Satanism.
The social planning of the society is considered as the true politics. It is the system which has the capacity and
power to run different nations and countries. Politics in reality is actually another name given to religion. They are
in essence totally the same.
When Imam Khomeini (RA) was arrested and imprisoned, the warden suggested Imam (RA) to shun politics. He
told Imam (RA), You are such a holy man and a Marja e Taqleed too. Politics is something wicked (he uttered a
foul word to describe politics) but Imam Khomeini (RA) responded saying, For you politics might be something
evil, but for me, my religion is politics. You are asking a jurist to abandon politics? How is it possible for a jurist to
leave his religion?
Hence, we come to know that religion and politics go hand in hand. They are not separate entities as we see in the
world today. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) was the political governor of his Ummah and was the Imam (leader) too.

Abandoning Wilayat after the death of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)
The true meaning of Wilayat means guardianship and custodianship. After the declaration of Wilayat, for how
many hours did this significant message last in the hearts of the people present? The famous poet, Hassan Ibn
Sabit promptly composed a great poem praising Imam Ali (AS) which was appreciated by the Holy Prophet
(P.B.U.H). Everyone present applauded on hearing the poem. However, it is interesting to know that this same
person soon left, abandoning the concept and reality of Wilayat on the plains of Johfa. He also did not accept
Imam Ali (AS) even as the 4th Caliph and went away to Damascus.
It was for this reason that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) commanded everyone in the crowd to write down the
message, to memorize it, and pass it on to others but unfortunately this did not happen. They forgot everything in
just a span of two months and ten days. Lady Fatima (SA) was forced to knock the doors of the companions of the
Prophet (P.B.U.H) asking them to recall what they had quickly forgotten. Islam is incomplete without the Day of
Ghadeer. It is on this day that Islam was completed. It is actually a day of mourning for the enemies of Islam but
we, the Ummah of the Holy Prophet have extracted its true essence. After the declaration, there were a few who
took Wilayat under the meaning of love and friendship with Imam Ali (AS) and thus started to recite Qaseedas
(poetry) in order to praise him.

Adding more to the Concept of Wilayat in Sufism
The Sufis dedicated efforts in order to give religion another look. They tried to eradicate the soul of religion by
abandoning collectivism and introducing individualism in which one stays self-centered and carefree about the
people around him. Imam Khomeini (RA) regarded this type of religiousness as Tahajjur which means following a
religion of Sawab (rewards) which is totally isolated from the society, environment, politics etc. For a sufi, his
religion is limited to his Salah (prayer) and his Jannah (Paradise). For him, religion is all about sitting on the
Musallah (prayer mat). The word Wali (Guardian) in the Sufi prospective refers to all kinds of Holy Saints sitting in
different caves and jungles struggling to build the capability of performing different miracles. They are Saints who
grant people approaching them with different supplications. Individuals who come to such holy saints seem to be
like slaves beseeching their master.

Why do People change their Path?
People at large tend to follow and mimic the actions of a specific and elite group of individuals who are influential
over the society. They do not think on their own accord and blindly follow others. They never bother to find the
right path for themselves and instead wait for someone else to take the initiative. Once it is taken, they simply
start following them.

Blind Practice: A cause of destruction
The blame for misinterpreting Wilayat goes on all those individuals who at that time had influence over society.
After the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H), people split themselves into two groups, the Muhajireen and the Ansaar.
A private meeting was first initiated by the Ansaar and they chose Saad Ibn Ubadah to be the first caliph of the
Muslims. When the Muhajireen came to know, they sent a few selected people in order to reject the election
made by the Ansaar and later made a collective decision. All this was happening at one end and on the other hand,
the burial rituals of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) were being carried out. History clearly states that the Muhajireen and
the Ansar presented their system and the people blindly accepted it without any thought. The system of Wilayat
has since been deserted and disregarded.
It is a universal fact that the common public always accepts whatever is decided by the elite class, but the day they
realize that they too have the power to influence decisions; no wrong verdicts will be imposed over them.

The Power of a Wali granted by Allah (SWT)
We are all aware that Shiasm is based on three pillars (Arkaan):
1) Announcement of Wilayat (Ghadeer)
2) Sacrifice leading to the Revival of Wilayat (Ashura)
3) Enactment and practical Execution of Wilayat (Intezarul Faraj)

Several doubts and suspicions are unnecessarily created on the topic of Wilayat. The bandwidth of the word
Wilayat is so broad that anyone who has power over anything is said to be a Wali (custodian). Allah (SWT) has
given this authority to his nominated people like the Holy Messenger (P.B.U.H) and the Imams (AS). The Holy
Prophet (P.B.U.H) once questioned the companions, Is it not true that I have more power over your souls than
you do? This shows that he was the Wali of the Ummah. Allah (SWT) has expanded the spectrum of Wilayat by
making every father a Wali(guardian) of the family. The fundamental point which we derive from this is that
Wilayat is not something which is elected by elections or by giving votes. It is a status which is designated by Allah
(SWT) and only He has the power to give position and authority.

Wilayat in simple words
Wilayat means the power to do something. The real power is in the hands of Allah (SWT) and by his Grace, we
have been granted this Wilayat too. All the affairs of an Ummah are supposed to be undertaken by the nominated
Wali by Allah (SWT). In no circumstances do we have the right to choose a Wali for ourselves.

Islamic System VS Satanic System
Individuals can choose a Wakeel (lawyer) for themselves but not a Wali(guardian). No one is ever asked to choose
his/her parents. Therefore, one needs to accept the Wali without any choice. Individuals sitting in the parliament
are our Wakeel (lawyers/counsels) and hence we can elect them. They can never be dominant over us because we
have chosen them. They need to do whatever we say but unfortunately today, we are directed by those whom we
ourselves have chosen. Allah (SWT) has made the system of Wilayat to govern and direct the Ummah. In an
ISLAMIC SYSTEM, Allah (SWT) selects the Wali but in a CORRUPT SATANIC SYSTEM, it is the individuals who
choose a Wali for themselves. If the Imams are also considered as advocates, it is not fair at all. They should be
considered as judges who have the final say over everything and no one has the power to oppose their decisions.

The Revival of the System of Wilayat presented at Johfa
Wilayat is a concept for all times and generations to come. Imam Khomeini (RA), through his struggle and
dedication on the path of Allah mesmerized the whole world. Imam Khomeini (RA) gave life to the Islamic system
which was excluded from the beliefs, philosophies, syllabuses and course works of the people. He demolished the
satanic system which was in the peak of darkness and he raised the lightened flag of Wilayat by initiating an Islamic
revolution in Iran. One should remember that any system other than Wilayat will always be corrupt. A Wali
appointed by Allah, is a guardian who helps us to overcome all kinds of obstacles in our journey towards Allah
(S.W.T).
A Wali is not a person to be approached just for Shafaat (Intercession) on the Day of Judgment. He must be a part
of our lives i.e. from the cradle to the grave.
Today, Ghadeer is such a celebration which brings thousands of sorrows alongside its cheerfulness. This day has to
be revived in the real aspect. Sunni brothers have not been told the true meaning of Wilayat. The Jews perceived
their destination to be paradise and considered hell fire to be forbidden on them but Allah (SWT) cleared their
misconception by telling them that they are not worthy of anything till the time they do not execute the system
present in the Taurat and Injeel. Their claims have been totally regarded as baseless in the Holy Quran. Allah talks
about them in Ayah 68 of Surah Al Maidah:

Say: O followers of the Book! you follow no good till you keep up the Taurat and the Injeel and that which is
revealed to you from your Lord; and surely that which has been revealed to you from your Lord shall make many of
them increase in inordinacy and unbelief; grieve not therefore for the unbelieving people.

We learn a lesson from this ayah that, till the time we do not implement the system of Allah (SWT) on the earth,
whoever we may be, we are insignificant and unworthy. We will be valued only once the system of Allah (SWT) is
manifested on earth.
Will Imam Ali (AS) appreciate those who are celebrating the event of Ghadeer while they are contented with the
corrupt system? Will he be pleased with those who deem that just by attending ceremonies and praising the Imam
(AS), they have fulfilled their duties?

Conclusion
Brothers and sisters! It is not a very difficult task to revive the system of Wilayat; even though we have many
superpowers against us. We should have trust and confidence in the support and hand of Allah (S.W.T) because it
is His own very system. The Reappearance (Zuhoor) of the Imam (AS) will lead to the dominance of the divine
System (the system of Allah) over all other systems. Religion has been descended in order to dominate. We not
only have to preserve religion and its values but also have to work in order to give it dominance.
The present situation of the world is such that it is now a great opportunity for us to introduce this Ilahic system
to the world. The system of Wilayat till now, has only been implemented in the Islamic Republic of Iran by the
great leader Imam Khomeini (RA). He introduced, rather rejuvenated the concept of Wilayat e Faqeeh i.e. the
government of the jurists which is based on Islamic principles and hence has a Wali too. It is because of this Holy
system that Iran has been standing upright against the enemies of Islam with all their power. Why is it that the rest
of the Muslims all over the world are under the control of tyrant and hegemonic powers?
Today, all the satanic powers have an influence over the Islamic Ummah (Possessors of the system of Wilayat).
Why is the Ummah of the Prophet confused, silent and is folding hands in hands?
Till when will we carry on only reciting Qasidas (poetry) on Wilayat? Till when will we leave the reality of Wilayat
unheeded?
Dear Readers! It is high time to introduce this system of Wilayat in our lives. Today, we are only celebrating the
Announcement of Wilayat made in Johfa (Eid e Ghadeer) but by the will of Allah, a day must certainly come in
which we should celebrate the System of Wilayat manifested in every corner of the world.

NOTE: There are many questions that come to our mind about the practical implementation of this System. It is a
very detailed yet important topic which will be explored further in the upcoming articles by the will of Allah
(SWT).